Adjustment algorithm based on structural design for automated tape laying and automated fiber placement

By analyzing the placeable characteristic of prepreg tapes/tows on curved surfaces, the geodesic curvature of the trajectory is taken as the evaluation parameter of the processing characteristic of prepreg tapes/tows. An adjustment algorithm is proposed based on structural design for Automated Tape Laying (ATL) and Automated Fiber Placement (AFP), in order to strike a balance between the requirements of the placing process and structural design. On the premise of meeting the structural design demand, the novel algorithm diverts the placement direction from the original one (which is generated according to structural design) to the adjusted one (which is closer to the geodesic direction) in a specific way, aiming at releasing the strains in prepreg tapes/tows. In this paper, the algorithm is described in detail for the case when the structure is designed in the fixed fiber orientation method and the diversion follows the rule of maximum deflection angle. In addition, the algorithm is programmed in Visual C++ and SQL language by C++. Through the verification on an aeroplane inlet model and the experiments on the inlet and the cone structure, it is demonstrated that increasing the deflection angle can relieve the deformation of the prepereg tapes/tows.